Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet discharge apparatus configured to discharge a sheet and to an image forming apparatus including the sheet discharge apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Generally, an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, and a facsimile machine, that includes a discharged sheet supporting portion configured to support a discharged sheet is known. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-10188 discloses providing a discharged sheet supporting portion of an image forming apparatus with a supporting surface configured to support a discharged sheet in the aim of keeping a good state of the supported sheet and facilitating picking up the sheet.
In the image forming apparatus described above, a recess portion for taking out a sheet is defined in the supporting surface. The recess portion extends from a downstream end portion toward an upstream end portion of the supporting surface in a sheet discharge direction. The recess portion is defined in a shape in which a more downstream portion in the sheet discharge direction is wider, and a downstream end portion of the recess portion connects to the outside of the image forming apparatus.
However, in the case of using the image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-10188 described above, an operator, i.e., a user, can put his/her fingers under the sheet to hold the sheet only from the downstream side of the supporting surface in the sheet discharge direction. That is, in the case where the downstream side in the sheet discharge direction is on the right side when seen from the operator, the sheet is difficult to take out with the left hand. This leads to limit methods for taking out the sheet. Thus, the operability in taking out the sheet has been not good for left-handed operators.
Moreover, in the case where the discharged sheet is small in size and is displaced in a width direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction, it may sometimes become difficult to properly hold the sheet to take out the sheet.